To ask the Minister of Education how primary school funding per head of child is determined; and for his assessment of funding per head in the Coleraine area.

All grant-aided schools receive a delegated budget under the Local Management of Schools arrangements. The formula funded budgets for schools reflect a range of factors including pupil year groups, additional funding support for smaller schools, funding to reflect social deprivation, premises and above average teaching costs etc. Details of the funding arrangements for schools are set out in the Common Funding Scheme, available on the Department’s website: www.deni.gov.uk/schools and infrastructure/schools finance/common funding.

The overall average per capita funding for all primary schools in the Coleraine District Council area in 2014/15 was £3,013. This includes pupils in nursery classes within primary settings where applicable.

This represents recurrent funding delegated to schools in the current year and excludes other programme funds or centrally administered (non-delegated) funding such as home-to-school transport, meals services, statemented pupil costs etc. provided to schools outside of their delegated budgets.